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Where
The Action Isn't
Discover
the secrets of off-season travel
Without
the distraction of elbow-to-elbow tourists, the charming cobblestone
streets of Nantucket, Massachusetts, are transformed in the
fall. It's easier to admire the Federalist-style homes, there's
no problem getting a booth at the local chowder house and
the lodging will likely cost half what it would in July or
August.
Such are
the pleasures of off-season travel. Sure, a New England getaway
in late November may not be everyone's mug of cider, but for
those who like avoiding crowds and who love saving money,
it's definitely worth considering. Best of all, it's always
off-season somewhere. In New England and New York, November
through March is the low season; Florida's quiet time is July
through October. Alaska, as you might expect, gets few visitors
from October through April, and Hawaiian tourism winds down
from April through June. Southern California's temperatures
are mild in the spring, but tourists don't show up in full
force until summer.
What's
the downside?
If you like to be where the action is, an uncrowded tourist
haunt can feel like a ghost town. Some attractions may be
closed. Then there's the weather. There's a very good
reason people stay away from Fairbanks, Alaska, in January
and Death Valley in August. So do some detective work by visiting
websites to determine what your destination's weather typically
is like during the month you plan to visit. Then check out
this A-list of top off-season destinations where you could
play and save big.
Big
cities
Fall
and winter can be the best seasons for bargain hunters to
explore big cities. In Boston hotel rates mid-December through
mid-March can fall to $99-$129, down from $189 and up. And
most hotels offer additional money-saving packages on weekends
during the off-season. In Washington, D.C., from January until
cherry blossom time in March, hotel rates can be slashed more
than 50 percent. For example, off-season rates at the Wyndham
City Center (www.wyndham.com)
start at $89, compared to summer rates as high as $249. Late
fall through April is an ideal time to visit Seattle, when
temperatures remain mild and lodging rates drop.
Ski
resorts
The late-winter/early-spring season at major ski resorts is
legendary for cost-saving programs. "Some of the best conditions,
weather and rates are left to those who wait," says Sven Cole,
spokesperson for New Hampshire's Attitash (www.attitash.com).
In the late season, slope-side ski-and-stay packages at Attitash
can start as low as $69, including both hotel and lift ticket.
It's a great deal when you consider that an in-season adult
lift ticket alone is $55. Check into Aspen, Colorado's Hotel
Jerome (www.hoteljerome.com)
in November or from mid-April to May, and you'll pay as little
as $125 a night compared with $450 during high season.
National
parks
Visit Yellowstone National Park (www.nps.gov/yell)
late-May to mid-June, before the high season hits, and you'll
see rust-colored newborn bison and other tiny critters-but
very few of the two-legged variety. Winter is dazzling at
Yellowstone, when thermals freeze in midair and give the park
a sparkling, fairyland beauty. Yosemite National Park (www.nps.gov/yose)
gets only a small amount of snow that sticks, so visitors
can hike there year-round. In winter and early spring, the
waterfalls are gushing to the max, and the ancient sequoias
in the Mariposa Grove are as stately as ever with their light
dusting of snow.
Bargain
shopping online
For the best airfare deals, download free BoardingPass software
from www.travelogia.com.
This search engine combs more than 60 websites, including
big names like Travelocity, Orbitz and Expedia. You can compare
prices and flights and then book directly for a $20 service
fee per ticket. The site www.sidestep.com
provides a similar service. For lodging, check out www.hotels.com
and www.quickbook.com
for bottom-line prices. Then go directly to the hotel's website
where you may find additional package deals and friendlier
cancellation policies. Nearly every property will now match
online third-party prices. For rental cars, visit www.orbitz.com
for an easy-to-navigate listing of the best bargains on wheels.
MetLife
Advantage
All-season auto savings
We know budget-minded travelers recognize a good deal wherever
they find one, and MetLife Auto & Home has two for you.
1. With
the MetLife Auto & Home Deductible Savings Benefit, it pays
to be a good driver. Here's how: You build up a benefit of
$50 for every year your household has no auto loss, excluding
glass and towing (up to a maximum of $250). The amount you
have earned is then applied to your deductible in the event
you do have an accident. That means a driver with a $250 deductible
who goes five years without a claim would owe nothing in the
event of a covered loss. You're automatically enrolled in
this program, so there are no forms to fill out. (Applies
to comprehensive or collision deductible and not to any glass
claim. Subject to state availability.)
2. MetLife
Auto & Home's enhanced rental car coverage helps protect against
the hidden gaps in coverage if you're involved in an auto
accident. In addition to paying for repairs, we'll protect
you against extra charges for loss of use, reasonable fees
and charges, and loss of market value because the rental car
is now a repaired vehicle.*
*See your
policy for exact details. Subject to state availability.
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